Episode 193 - 3/22/67

There's a knock at the door of the Evans' place. Maggie answers the door to Joe. She asks what happened and he asks her to just let him sit down. She sees him covered in soot, and asks if there was a fire. She asks him if something happened to David. He says Vicki saved David from the fire in the old fishing shack. Sam comes out, and Maggie tells him that David almost died in a fire. Joe explains that Laura came back. He says that there was no sign that Laura got out, but there were no remains in the ashes. He says that Vicki saw her vanish in the flames. Sam says that she really wasn't human. Maggie says she remembers when she first returned to Collinwood. She says she told her the story of the Phoenix. Joe suggests that Laura Murdoch Radcliffe, Stockbridge, and Collins were the same person. Sam says it's impossible, but very likely the truth.

The next morning, Sam is finally bandage free. There's a knock at his door, and it's Mrs. Portia Fitzsimmons. She's disappointed he doesn't recognize the name. He says he does recognize her name, and says he didn't expect her. She starts asking about paintings. She tells him business is about to pick up. She brings up his paintings from 10 years ago. She says she picked up two of his paintings that are going to be in fashion again. She wants paintings from that period, and says she's willing to buy back paintings from the same period.

Joe and Maggie hang out at The Blue Whale. Joe tells Maggie that Liz is feeling better. A stranger interrupts him to confirm that Joe was referring to Mrs. Stoddard. He asks Joe if Liz has been ill, that she's better now. Joe confirmed that she's better. Maggie asks the stranger if he knows her father, but he doesn't recognize it. He introduces himself as Jason McGuire. He asks if Mrs. Stoddard is receiving folks, and Maggie says she's been in a hospital. He asks if she's familiar with a scandal Liz was involved with, and she just points out that she's a recluse, and hadn't left the house in 18 years.

Sam visits Roger at Collinwood. Roger tells him he wants him to leave. Sam says he will, but he wants the paintings he sold him 10 years ago. Roger says they're his, and he has neither the time, the energy nor the inclination to look for them, if they haven't been destroyed. Roger reminds Sam he paid a tidy sum—$15,000 for them. Sam says the money was because he saw Roger behind the wheel of a car. Sam says he'll do almost anything to get the paintings. Roger asks why they're suddenly so precious. Roger says he might sell them to him if he can find them. Sam threatens to go to Burke Devlin. Sam offers to pay Roger back the $15,000. Roger says that must mean they're worth something, and offers to sell them for $50,000. Sam says he'll give him 48 hours, and then he'll go to Burke Devlin saying Roger killed a man and framed Burke.

Our thoughts

John: Is it just me, or did Portia seem to have arrived in the wrong show? She's unlike any other character we've seen, ghosts and Phoenix' included. Of course, they just needed a reason to bring the story back around to the paintings Roger bought from Sam after the accident 10 years ago. Sadly, trying to suggest that Sam's art—specifically his art from precisely 10 years ago—would suddenly be worth something to someone, is a bit of a stretch.

Christine: She is trying to be the eccentric, over-the-top art curator. I like how she determines the year his portraits were painted based on what she knows of his work a decade prior. This is actress Lovelady Powell's only appearance as Portia. She went on to appear in The Happy Hooker in 1975.

John: Despite the awkward way they went about it, it is neat that we're getting back to the events of 10 years ago again.

Christine: Yes, and hopefully a resolution to that storyline as well.

John: I'm also pleased that we've reached the introduction of Jason McGuire. He's a character that I remember fondly from the early Barnabas episodes I had watched previously. Willie Loomis can't be far behind!

Christine: Ah, Jason McGuire! Trouble is coming to Collinwood, with no respite for its inhabitants.